SusieQOH

Teresa, I bought a new machine in May. I went to Youtube for tutorials. I am a better visual leaner and it really helped me get to know my machine. Just a thought for you.
I still go back to it a lot. My machine came with lessons but since my granddaughter was born we keep running to Virginia to see her so I haven't committed to that yet.

EasyPeezy

Are you using the purple tip needle provided with your machine?
It can make a big difference.

TeresaA

Thanks for the tip! I haven't used the purple tip needle, but I found that the machine wants the free motion foot lower than I'm accustomed to on my Pfaff 7550. Once I figured that out, I was good to go with my Glide polyester.

And I've been having a tremendous time with the machine. The speed control really helps keep me going slowly. I think it's going to be excellent for free motion embroidery too. I'm just thrilled.

I'm so happy that I committed to buying the knee lifter, which unfortunately doesn't come with the machine, even though it has the knee lifter "hole". Silly Janome.

I read the manual for my machine's more advanced cousin, the 6700, and I still feel like I got more bang for my buck. And it's dollars that I will save toward my ultimate goal of buying an industrial sew-er like the Juki DDL-9000C. That machine is a space commitment (huge), so I'm waiting to see if my free motion quilting desires expand to warrant it.

TeresaA

This machine, oddly, doesn't have many tutorials. There are tutorials for it's sister, the 6700, but mostly on using the Accufeed, which this one doesn't have (and I don't really need, since it's a FMQ machine for me). Congratulations on the granddaughter!

EasyPeezy

I'm a bit surprised that they didn't include the knee lift. You will definitely
find it useful for FMQ.

TeresaA

Janome is silly, like I said. And I know! I can't wait to get it.

mkc

I wonder if it's a model specific for Internet sales (unlike the 6700 which must be purchased from a S&B Janome dealer), hence the lack of videos and smaller set of included items/lack of AcuFeed? Janome did that a few years ago when they released the JNH7700 as a model that could be sold over the Internet. Almost identical to the Horizon 7700 which could only be sold by S&B Horizon dealers, except the JNH version had fewer included items.

TeresaA

That is exactly what it is. But for my use, a machine at 2/3 of the street price of the 6700 is awesome. It's my FMQ and free motion embroidery machine, so I don't feel that I'm running my Pfaff 7550 to its motherboard's last leg.

mkc

I agree completely! And at the deal you got, it's darned near the price of the 1600 which is straight-stitch-only.

If I'd known about that Costco deal (and DH wasn't often asking "and just HOW many sewing machines do you own?") I would have jumped on it myself. I saw your original post a day too late to jump on the deal. (BTW, do sergers and a machine I got free from a friend (Bernina 830 Record) count towards "sewing machine totals" - asking for a "friend" ;-) )

TeresaA

Oh yes they do, as does the old time Kenmore that I "curated" for my MIL. Now she's passed and I told my husband that we should give it to his sister. Nope. He wants it, says it sounds like his childhood. So I get it out occasionally, and he oils it as he has muscle memory to do from when his mom "let" him as a child, and I sew a few stitches. The motor is so old I fear it'll catch fire, so I don't do much with it. But it's a beauty. Along with my 7550 and my new Janome, I also have a yard sale Pfaff 1471 that runs perfectly, that I use on vacation, and an all-mechanical 30 inch Gammill longarm I bought used in the late 90's. If I could lengthen the arm on my 7550 I'd have never wanted another machine. But this new Janome is so much more heavy duty than my Pfaff, went through 8 layers of fabric in a string quilt I was sewing like absolute butter.

Love sewing machines. Costco may offer that deal again! ;-).